MISD has hosted the NCAA Division II Football Championships for the last two years at its stadium located at 4201 Hardin Blvd., McKinney, and it was announced in March that it would host games in 2021 as well.
On Oct. 14, the NCAA confirmed that it has extended McKinney ISD’s stadium run as the host for the championship games through 2025.
“We are excited to know that the NCAA Division II National Championship will continue to be held here in McKinney at McKinney ISD Stadium,” said Shawn Pratt, MISD assistant superintendent of student activities, health and safety, in a district news release.
He went on to say that the partnership has “had a great economic impact” on the city of McKinney and that it allowed the city to gain prominence through visiting fans and a national TV audience.
“Many people from both the school district and the city worked very hard to make this championship a great success, and that is evident by the NCAA’s decision to stay here through 2025,” he said in the release.
McKinney ISD was chosen after being asked to put in a bid to host for an additional four years. Through its bidding process, the NCAA received more than 3,000 submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA’s 90 championships. The sites were selected by the respective NCAA sports committees and approved by the divisional competition oversight and championships committees, according to a NCAA news release.
“The response of our membership, host cities and local organizing committees to this process was tremendous,” said Joni Comstock, NCAA senior vice president of championships. “Thanks to their commitment, we are excited that our student-athletes will play in some of the top locations and venues in the United States.”
